Season series: Forward Luke Glendening had a two-point game (goal and assist) and goalie Jimmy Howard made 25 saves on 26 shots to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a win in the first game. The Chicago Blackhawks were outshot 36-26 and got their lone goal from Patrick Kane.

Red Wings team scope: Detroit hasn't won in three straight games (0-2-1) and struggled to score in two of the three. Seeking to bolster their offense, the Red Wings recalled rookie forward Teemu Pulkkinen from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. Pulkkinen, who scored his first NHL goal in a six-game debut stint Jan. 10-20, practiced with the Red Wings on a line with captain Henrik Zetterberg and forward Justin Abdelkader. He scored 10 goals and had 18 points in 11 games after being sent back down, and leads the AHL with 30 goals and 57 points. He's the first Griffins player to reach the 30-goal plateau in back-to-back seasons. "He just keeps going," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters after practice. "He's a machine-like scorer. That's going to translate at some point. Is it this time? I don't know."

Blackhawks team scope: Chicago is 4-0-2 in its past six games and has won two straight after starting a season high eight-game homestand with losses in a shootout and overtime. The Blackhawks needed all 10 points accrued during their streak of six games with at least a point, because the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators keep winning. Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford appears back to top form after returning from an ankle injury that cost him eight games in December. Crawford is 5-1-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in his past seven starts. "I'm just trying to play the same way, so that they know they have the same goaltender every night and know what they're getting," Crawford said after practice Tuesday. "That starts with preparation. It's nice when [teammates] have confidence in you, and it's the same way for them."

We're going against the Canadiens tonight at the Joe, and, I expect the Wings will show up. Montreal is four points ahead in the standings, and, have won both games against the Wings this season.

The Wings had been on a pretty good run, but, have hit a couple of bumps in the road of late. Tonight is an opportunity for redemption of sorts. A win would take away that sour feeling left from the last few performances and bolster some much needed confidence. Jimmah has to be exceptional in net, and of course so does everyone else.

The Winnipeg Jets altered their roster slightly with a blockbuster trade on Wednesday but they maintain what Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock considers the ideal right-lefty balance on defense.

"When you look at the group they have on the back, they really built a back end and if you know their prospects they got lots coming," Babcock said. "I've known Chevy (Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff) a long time; he's a smart guy and they're going about it with good patience. Suddenly, they have maybe the best right-handed back end in hockey. So they've done a real good job there and no question they're deep."

I know, I know, some out there(marketing folks) are trying very hard to establish so called rivalries between certain Teams in the NHL. The Pens/Wings totally fit the bill, and are right up there as a good rivalry, given the back to back Cup runs and the bad blood between these two clubs.

It's always a good game when these two Teams meet. With the Wings being in the East now, I would venture to say Pittsburgh will not continue to be the one and only rival we will face.

No one knows what the future will bring, as The Wings and other Eastern Teams become more and more familiar with each other. We just wait and see for now.

But tonight we go against the much hated Penguins, and, as long as we stay the course, I see two more points in the standings for our Detroit Red Wings.

Jagr, who leads the Devils with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists), then went on to state multiple times that any playoff team interested in trading for him should know that he's willing to accept a reduced role.

“I'll tell you one thing: I think some teams worry about when I go there I want to be on the first power play, I want to be on the first line. It's not true,” Jagr said. “I'm here on the third line and I play 15 minutes, sometimes I don't get on the power play and I'm happy. Not happy, but I do my job and try to do it the best.”

“I know what is my strength,” Jagr continued. “I like to play in the offensive zone on the boards. I still feel like I'm strong enough to beat anybody, at least hold the puck. If that's true or not, I still believe it. Maybe I'm not going to beat that guy one-on-one like I used to, but I still can make a play from that corner, from the cycle. It's my strength and in the playoffs that's the way you play. I don't have to play 20 minutes.”

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com